Improvement in steam pumping machinery



'W- E1 WORTHEN.

-S-TE-AJVI-PUMPING M 99 0@ 192,0 Z 13,

ACHINERY.

Patented Juden,- 1877.

, YG E Shi,

N.PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON, D. C.

UNITED STATES 1 l, 'i WILLIAM E. WOETHEN, 0E NEW YORK, N.V Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM PUMPING MACHINERY.

v Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 192,042, dated June 12, 1877; application tiled April 3, 1877.

To' all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM E. WoRTHEN, of New York city, inthe State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SteamPumping Machinery, of which the following is a specification v My improvement. relates to the air-pump by which a v'acuum is produced and maintained, and to the relation of this important member to the' main pump.

l have devised a plan of construction by which the air-pump is worked in by an unusually direct connection to the main pump, and in close contact'w-ith the main pump, and partially Within it. The cooling intluence of the 'mass of water pumped is felt through a single thickness ot' metal, to keep the temperature of the air-pump low, and a small quantity otl injection water sufiices. I My invention avoids thenecessity for afoot-valve, and maintains an excellent vacuum.

The following isa description of what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

rlhe accompanying drawing forms a part ot' this specification, and represents a vertical section through a horizontal pump, constructed according to my invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A is the main body ot' the pump, formed of cast-iron or other suitable material, and provided with a removable head, A, and stuffingbox A2, through which latter Works the plungerrod b, operated by connection to a steam-piston, (not represented,) and giving a powerful reciprocating motion to the large hollow plunger B, which works through a suitable bearing, A4, in the diaphragm A3. There may be packing Within the bearing A4, and the Working of the plunger B through this packing produces the ordinarye'ectin alternately enlarging and contracting the capacity of the chambers each side of the diaphragm A3, the water being inducted and educted therefrom as the chambers are enlarged and diminished by moving through valves. v

So far as yet described, ,the machine and its mode of working is of anordinary and longapproved construction.

Arelatively small piston, M, is worked' within the plunger B. It is directly connected by the rod b. This piston M is enclosed within a smoothly-bored cylinder, P, which constitutes a,part of the fixed work of themachine, and serves as a double-acting air-pump. It receives the exhaust steam with its accompanying water and air through a port,c, at

the center of its length on the upper side. It expels the water and air through ports at each end, covered by self-acting valves opening outward into passages which connect with the Water in the interior ot' the main pump, or with the Water in its passage to the main pump.

The ports and valves at each end of the airpulnp-may be alike, except that one end has the rod b traversing .through it, and may be guarded by a suitable stuffing-box. Furthermore, that end, which is thus conditioned, being held in the center of the main pump, may be kept colder, and delivers its water through shorter passages. We may use the same letters of `reference for the two ends as far as they agree, p being used for the ports and R. for the valves which cover them.

,The lsteam which operates the main pump after doing its work in the cylinder, (not represented,) is led through a suitable pipe or passage into the channel E, which extends vertically down from the top of the main casing A till it reaches the exterior of the airpump cylinder P. It thence extends along on the top of the air-cylinder P to the port c. Gr isa'valve operated by a stem, g, and controlled by screw-threads or suitable adjustable means outside, (not represented,) which allows a discharge of a more or less stream of Water from the body of the pump into this steam-channel.'

The exhaust steam is condensed by this cold water, andalso by contact with the large amount of cold surface to which it is exposed in the passage E and Within the air-pump cylinder P.' Any Water which leaks backward through the ports p past the valves R, or which leaks into the air-pump cylinder P by passing any imperfect packing in the stuffingbox, will be utilized, as so much addition. to the injectionwater, and when such leaking is liberal may be compensated for by partially closing the valve G, which admits the controllable injection-water. His the stuffingbox, which surrounds the rod b. It is adjusted by a gland, h. It'should be prepared' with more regard to durability than to tightness.

The disposition of the small quantity of steam remaining*.uncondensed, and of the Small quantity of air'f'which usually obtains in the thin gaseous matter Worked by the air pump of aloW-pressure steamengine is much the same with my machine las with others. The gaseous matter is compressed and forced out with the water of injection and the water of condensation at each movement of the piston M. But the action is peculiar, inasmuch as there is no foot-valve or any equivalent therefor.

When the piston M moves to either end of its stroke, it compresses thethin gaseous matter, and drives it and the water before it out through the ports p. When the piston M returns, its movement from the end to the center is ineffective, except to produce a firstclass vacuum behind it. For a very brief period, at exactly mid-stroke, the piston M en; tirely covers the receiving-port e. But another moment it uncovers the receiving-port e, and the contents of the channel E rush into the vacuum behind the piston M, which, by the continued movement of the pistou M, receives all it can get until the return of the piston M again covers the port e, and compresses the material in advance of it and forces it out through the ports p. This operation obtains at each end, and is repeated as long as the machineryis worked,maintaining a good vacuum in the channel E and the exhaust-end of the steamcylinder, (not represented.) The water and air which is thus forced ont through the ports p, past the valves R, mingles with the water which is being pumped. From the one end it flows through the short ports V directly into the mass of Water in one end of v the mainpump B. From the other end it ows out through the more' lengthy passage W, which is carefully isolated from the pump and communicates with the intlowing-water passage, (not represented.) The condensed water is thus discharged -under little resistance at either end. At one end it is discharged into the suction passage ot' the main pump. At the other end itis discharged into a part of the main pump, which is at that y time under suction.

My construction allows `extraordinary freedom for the water of condensation to fall into the air-pump, and for the uncondensed steam and gaseous matter to be received with it, there being absolutely no valve to'pass on the vs ay. The movement of the piston M prepares an unusually strong vacuum at one period to receive these products, and under any ordinary conditions will maintain a good vacuum with great uniformity. lThe directness of the connection of the piston M to the main plunger, and the freedom of the induction and eduction of the water, allows the, pump to be worked with unusual rapidity.

I claim as my invention- 1. The air-pump P M, mounted within the main casing A, and main plunger B, operated by a direct connection, b, as herein specified.

2. The main casing A 'A1 A2 A3 A4, hollow plunger B b, air-pum p barrel P, exhaust-steam passage E, delivery passages p, and air-pump piston M, loperated by the connection m, all combined and arranged for joint operation in a steam-pumping machine as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 31st day of March, 1877, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

v WM. E. WORTHEN.

Witnesses:

AUeUsT J. RossI, R. S. GILLESPIE. 

